Croptracker - Blog

The USDA has announced plans to discontinue the use of an insensitive term as a size grade.  

It's back-to-school season in the Northern hemisphere, and also a popular time for growers to start taking on student interns.

The United States's oldest berry breeding program has announced the release of two new varieties: a strawberry and a raspberry named "Dickens" and "Crimson Treasure", respectively.  Available for planting in spring 2019, these berries are claimed by their breeder at Cornell University to grow large with vibrant colours that maintain "peak flavor far longer than most heritage varieties".

British researchers claim that the risk of pesticide-contaminated nectar entering bee colonies is higher than previously expected - because bees are prone to becoming "addicted" to pesticide-laced food.  The study compares this to a nicotine addiction in smokers, as the more bees consume pesticides, the more they appear to crave them.